It feels like storm season is every season. Spring comes through with rain storms and tornadoes, while summer ushers in hurricane season. Before the Atlantic hurricane season comes to a close in November, blizzards are upon the north. Last month the floods caused devastation for our loved ones in Louisiana. The safety of your family during perilous storms should invariably be priority. But even when the winds die down and the rain dries up, you still need to be sure that your home and family are safe. See our tips for preparing your home’s heating and air conditioning equipment for storm season.
Attach Your Air Conditioner
Your outside AC equipment should be installed on a concrete pad and properly fastened to prevent the system from going up in the air or washing away in a storm. If you live in a climate that generates hurricanes, it may be necessary to fasten your equipment with hurricane straps to keep the system safe from high winds. Ask your professional technician about securing your home’s AC during your Fall Tune-up.
Stop the Surge
You can’t literally avoid the surge that often happens during a storm, but you can shield your heating and cooling equipment from it. Get a high-quality surge protector where any sizable appliances, such as a furnace, are plugged into a standard wall outlet, to automatically turn off your heating system if there’s an increase in the line voltage. This will help shield the electrical components in your heating and air conditioning equipment that the power surge could damage. Make sure you never touch any electrical components, and ask for expert help if you are not familiar with using surge protectors properly.
Provide Cover
Your loved ones and you need to acquire shelter first and foremost, but if time allows, shut off your heating and air conditioning system and cover the outside equipment with a tarp. Before turning your system back on after the storm, make sure you remove the tarp and get rid of any debris.
This, Too, Shall Pass
After the storm ends, ensure the system is safe before turning your heating and cooling system back on. To begin, make sure there are no indications of damage and get rid of any debris surrounding the equipment. Try to check and make sure there is no visible harm to any of the refrigerant or electrical lines running from your AC. Call 859-905-0834 for a system inspection if it looks like there may have been any damage or flooding to the air conditioning. Once you’ve had the system inspected by an expert to ensure safe operation, turn the HVAC system back on as soon as possible to help dry the home and restrict mold from getting into your system or ductwork.
If there was any damage to your equipment, check out these tips on What To Do If Your Air Conditioning System Experiences Flooding or Hail Damage and then call Knochelmann Service Experts and learn about our membership options to help keep your heating and cooling system in working order all seasons long.